Carlton fitness boss Andrew Russell will finish his 26-year career in the AFL industry at the end of the year.
After spending the past six seasons at the Blues, and having had a decorated career at Essendon, Port Adelaide and most notably Hawthorn before that, the renowned high performance guru is stepping away from the industry, as first revealed by 7NEWS Melbourne’s Mitch Cleary.
The Blues later confirmed the news with a statement.
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“Andrew has been a key leader at our club and within the industry over a long period of time, achieving six premierships across his career,” Carlton footy boss Brad Lloyd said.
“We have seen significant transformation in our group during the past six years, and his passion, dedication and commitment to our players has been outstanding.
“An ultimate professional, Andrew will continue to lead our high performance program for the remainder of the season as we look to build some strong momentum heading into this next phase of our 2024 campaign.”
Russell was instrumental in Hawthorn’s success during their mid-2010s premiership era.
He was seen as a massive coup for the Blues when they poached him in 2018.
“The transformation that has taken place at the club, on and off the field has been significant,” Russell said of Carlton.
“To see the athletes emerge as professionals, their drive and commitment towards a common goal now is really powerful, it has been fantastic to be part of their development over time.
“I have loved my time at this football club and look forward to maximising what we are able to achieve for the remainder of this season.
“Just like I’ve challenged hundreds of athletes to be their best, the time is right to challenge myself, step outside an industry I have been in since I was 21, and pursue the next challenge in high performance.
“Making this decision now gives the club sufficient time to conduct its process to appoint a new senior figure in its high-performance program.”
Despite his success in the fitness space, Russell’s departure is set to come as the Blues endure their worst injury crisis in recent years.
Only Richmond has lost more games to injury than the Blues this year.
Adam Cerra alone has suffered three hamstring injuries, the latest coming during the Blues’ three-point loss to Collingwood on Saturday night.
It’s one of 10 separate hamstring setbacks the Blues have been dealt, while serious knee injuries to Jack Silvagni and Sam Docherty, and shoulder problems for Matt Cottrell and David Cunningham have compounded the issue.
In total, Carlton have lost 131 games to injuries suffered by players in their best 22, according to Champion Data, including 86 from soft tissue injuries along.
